Key retainer



April 14, 1931. LAKE 1,801,092

KEY RETAINER Filed April 22, 1926 anvcnk a :4, attorney Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE ALBERT H. LAKE, 01' ROGHI ZSTEB, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO THE SYMINGTON GOLF PANY, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF MABYLAN D KEY RETAINER application filed April 22, 1926. Serial in. 103,007.

This invention relates to retaining devices and more particularly, to such devices adapt-. ed for use with draft keys for holding the same in place.

The principal feature of my invention, generally considered, is the provision of an improved retainer or holding device adapted for application to one or both ends of draft rigging keys for resiliently holding the same in the desired position.

An object of my invention is the provision of a retainer adapted for application to one or both ends of a draft rigging keyand comprising a pin insertable through an' aperture in-said key exterior of the associated sill or cheek plate and providedwith means acting between said pin and the associated part of the car underframe for resiliently holding or tending to hold the head of the key at all times against the associated portion of the underframe or to resiliently maintain the retaining pin away from the associated sill or cheek plate and thereby minimize friction and avoid shearin of the pin and, if employed at each end of the ke to have the same effect with respect to 0th retaining pins.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a retainer adapted for insertion through one or both ends of a draft key and provided with spring means embracing the same and acting against the associated sill or cheek plate for resiliently spacing the retainer with respect thereto and, if employed on the pointed or tapered end of a headed key, at the same time biasing the head toward its associated sill or cheek plate.

A further object of my invention is the provision of akey retainer especially adapted for insertion through a perforation in an end of a draft rig 'ng key and comprising'a preferably headed pin provided with means for preventing undesired loss or removal thereof from the key and resilient or spring means embracing said pin and formed with resilient extensions extending towardthe adjacent portion of the car to resiliently space said retainer with respect thereto and thereby protect the same from frictional and shearing strains.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referrin to the drawings illustrating my invention, t e scope whereof is defined by the appended claims:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a draft rigging and a portion of a car underframe to which the same is applied and particularly showing draft rig 'ng keys with retaining de vices thereon em odying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing fragmentary portions of a draft key with a retaining device embodying my invention applied thereon, a portion of an associated cheek plate being illustrated.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the end of the key and retaining device as shown in Fi re 2. i f 1 igure 4 is a ragmentary p an view corresponding to Figure 2, showing a modification. Y Although myinvention is adapted for use with draft keys and the like, generally, and may be used with various kinds of draft rigging, Ihave, for purposes of illustration, shown in Figure 1 my invention emplo ed with. draft rigging of the Farlow twoey type. In said figure, a fragmentary portion of a car underframe is illustrated, draft or center sills 1 being shown with cheek plates 2 applied on the outersides of the webs 3 thereof, in accordance with usual practice. Said cheek plates 2 may be connected to the sills by rivets or the like 4. and are preferably formed with flange portions 5 defining slots 6 and 7 therethrough registering with corresponding slotted portions in the webs 3 of the sills 1. Through the slots 6 and 7 extend draft keys 8 and 9, respectively, and said keys serve for connecting and support ing an associated coupler 10, horizontal yoke 11 and front follower 12. C00 rating with the follower 12 and embrac between the arms of the yoke 11 is a cushioning mechanism 13 illustrated diagrammatically by dot and dash lines.

The keys 8 and 9 may each comprise, if de- 9" sired, a pointed or tapered end 14 and a head 15 on the opposite end thereof. Alternative- 1y said keys or one of them may be pointed or tapered at each end, if considered advisable. The pointed orheadless end or ends 14 of the key 8 or 9 (or both) is formed with a perforation 16 therethrough and insertable through said perforation is a preferably headed pin or bolt 17. Preferably, the upper end of said pin 17 is formed with a head 18 which may be cylindrical as shown in Fi ure 3 or any other desired shape such as o long or rectangular as shown in Figure 4. Said head may be used with or without a washer 19 inserted 'th'erebeneath as may be .considered advisable. The lower end of said pin 17 is preferably perforated for the reception of a cotter or locking device 20 inserted therethrough for preventing undesired loss or removal thereof. v

The single pin 17 headed and supplied with a locking means as heretofore described might serve in itself as retaining means for the key 8, for example. If used by itself, however, there would be nothing to prevent its frictional engagement with the associated cheek plate 2 which would not only cause 40 tion 22 encircling or embracing the shank of the pin 17 between the head thereof or the washer therebeneath and the draft key and/or, if desired, alsoembracingor encir-' cling the shank between the key and the cotter or locking means 20.

If the spring 21 extends both above and below the key, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, it may, if desired, be formed of one continuous piece of spring steel or the like extending from a point 23 adjacent the associated cheek plate to the pin 17 around said pin above the key and below the head and washer, if used thereon, one or more times, across to 24 at the opposite side'of the key adjacent the cheek plate, down to 25, alongthe cheek plate, back to the pin beneath the key where it encircles said pin above the locking means 20 one or more times and then extends to a point 26 adjacent the associated cheek plate beneath the starting point 23. The end 23 of the spring 21 is preferably bent downwardly, as shown particularly in Figure 3, and the end 26 bent upwardly so that said ends are brought into I jacent sill.

in effect a continuous spring.

The material forming the spring 21 is preferably of such a strength that it serves at all times to resiliently space the 'pin 17 with respect to the associated check plate or sill, yet itis desirable to have the spring weak enough so that the same may be manually stressed for the insertion of the in 17 in place while said spring is under initial tension. Al though there are illustrated in'the drawing but two forms of heads 18 for the in 17, it is obvious that pins of any desired ormation with any desired type of head may be employed within the spirit and scope. of my invention. 1 It will be apparent from the disclosure that I have devised a key retainer which, not only securely holds the key in place and prevents undesired loss or removal thereof, but also resiliently spaces the retaining bolt or pin from the associated sill substantial vertical alinement to almost'form or cheek plate to thereby minimize wear.

thereof and shearing stresses thereon.

Having now descrlbed my invention, what I claim is: i v

1. In combination with the underframe of a car, a'draft key extending through aportion thereof, a retainer positioned adjacent one end of said key and resilient means embracing said retainer for holding it away from the adjacent portion of the underframe.

2. In combination with the under frame of a car, a draft key extending through a portion thereof, a retainer extending through one end of said key and a spring looped to receive said retainer for spacing it from the adjacent portion of the underframe.

3. In combination with the underframe of a car, a draft key extending through a portion thereof, a retainer extending vertically through said key and a spring enclrclin said retainer and formed'with arms resilient y engaging the adjacent portion -of the underframe.

- 4. In combination with the underframe of a car, a headed draft key extending through a portion thereof, a retainer associated with the end of the key opposite to the head and comprising resilient means embracing the retainer and causing the key to tend to move in .the direction of its length fromthe head to the opposite end thereof.

5. In combination with draft key extending therethrough and adapted for supporting draft rigging, a retainer positioned exteriorly of said sills and resilient means curved around said retainer for holding it away from the adjacent sill.

6. In combination with slotted car sills, a draft key extending therethrough and adapted for supportin draft rigging, a retainer extending throng an aperture in one end of said key and spring means embracing said retainer and acting between it and the adslotted car sills, a i

7. In combination with slotted car sills, slotted cheek plates positioned thereon, a draft key extending through corresponding slots in said cheek plates, one end of said key being perforated exteriorly of the cheek plates, a retainer extending through said perforation and a spring encircling said retainer with the ends thereof extended to engage the adjacent cheek plate.

8. In combination with slotted car sills, slotted cheek plates positioned thereon, a draft key extending through corresponding slots in said cheek plates and formed with a head at one end and a perforation at the other end, a retainer extending through said perforated end and resilient means embracing said retainer and key for biasing the head toward the associated cheek plate.

9. In combination, a key with an aperture adjacent one end thereof, a retainer pin inserted through said aperture, one'end of said pin being headed and the other end being provided with locking means extending therethrough and a coil spring encircling said pin and formed with a plurality of portions extending toward the other end of said key.

10. A retaining device comprising a headed pin adapted for insertion through an apertured member, the end of said pin opposite to the head being perforated to adapt it for receiving locking means and a spring embracing said pin and formed with angularly disposed arms adapted to extend to either side of said member and resiliently position said pin.

11. In draft ri ging, in combination with draft sills, a dra ke havin end portions projectin through t e dra sills, and a yieldin device tending to prevent displacement 0 said draft key, said yielding device comprisin a member fastened adjacent an end of sai key and a spring encircling said member and draft key so as to lie at the outer side of one of the draft sills.

12. A' retaining device comprising a headed pin adapted for insertion through an apertured member the end of said pin opposite to the head being perforated, locking means insertable through said perforation and a springformed with two arms the upper of which is coiled about the pin above the apertured member and the lower of which is coiled about the pinbelow the aperturedmember, those portions of the s ring on either'side of the coiled portions ing angularly disposed and extending toward one en of said apertured member. to resiliently position the same. i In testimony whereof I aflix Ifiy signature.

so ALBERT LAKE. 

